PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between The Samurai (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Jose Merciano (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). We have two fighters making their debuts here, so let's see who comes out of this one with their first professional victory.

Samurai
vs
Merciano

170 cm
25
170 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

183 cm
25
155 lbs
0 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Prefers standup

BJJ Purple Belt
Brawler
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, The Samurai!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 0 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Los Angeles, Jose Merciano!
The judges for this bout are Frank Antenori, Timothy Bukovac and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Merciano has taken the fight to the clinch.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Samurai.
Merciano avoids the elbow strike from Samurai, against the cage.
Samurai lands a nice elbow.
Merciano taking a break, stalling in the clinch.
Merciano fails to pull guard.
Samurai misses with an elbow strike.
Merciano is trying to slow down the pace of the fight but Samurai is keeping busy.
Merciano tries to land knees in the clinch but Samurai avoids the damage to the body.
Samurai tries a knee to the head but he's missed.
Samurai landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Samurai gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Samurai unloads a knee to the mid-section.
Samurai is pressed up against the cage. Merciano has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Samurai down to the mat. Samurai avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
Merciano feints and then cracks Samurai's leading leg with a nice low kick. He's obviously looking to slow Samurai down.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!

Merciano moves into the clinch.
Samurai is pressed up against the cage. Merciano has hold of a leg and is looking to drag Samurai down to the mat. Samurai avoids the attempt though and has circled away. We're back to striking at a distance.
The Samurai has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jose Merciano.
Merciano misses with a takedown
and Samurai counters with a nice body shot.
Merciano looks winded!

That's one minute gone in the round.

Samurai clinches.
Samurai landing knees to the head.
Samurai lands an elbow that stopped Merciano in his tracks for a moment.
Samurai using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Merciano has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Merciano goes for a takedown in the clinch but Samurai prevents it.
Samurai gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Samurai gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Merciano is looking to break free of the clinch but Samurai has double underhooks.
Samurai throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Merciano blocks it with crossed arms.
Merciano is trying to work out of this bad position, with his back against the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Samurai.
Merciano wants to get back to striking at distance but Samurai won't allow it.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Samurai gets an overhook and lands an elbow to the side of the head.
Samurai with an attempt at a knee that misses.
Merciano tries to pull guard but can't drag his opponent to the mat. Samurai just stands there and leans against the cage.
Samurai misses with an elbow over the top.

Merciano jumps into guard, dragging Samurai to the mat.
A real slowdown in the pace of the fight for a moment, as Merciano holds on and takes a little breather.

Samurai avoids a guillotine attempt easily.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.

Samurai stands and steps away. Merciano gets to his feet too and we're back to the striking game.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Samurai tries to close the distance and clinch but Merciano swats him to one side with an open hand palm strike and circles away.
Samurai tries to clinch but Merciano is having none of it.
Samurai throws a looping overhand right but Merciano ducks down to avoid it.
Samurai slips a straight right by Merciano.
The Samurai is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

Merciano closes the distance and pushes Samurai back into the cage.
A nice glancing elbow lands by Samurai.
A knee to the head by Samurai.
Samurai using the Thai plumb to throw knees but Merciano has his back arched nicely, preventing the strike.
Samurai misses with a knee to the head.

Merciano breaks the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Samurai tries to clinch but Merciano is having none of it.

Merciano feints and as Samurai raises his hands in defense, Merciano changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Merciano trying to control the position from guard on top but Samurai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Merciano sitting in guard, not really doing much.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Merciano trying to control the position from guard on top but Samurai is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

That was a close round but I would say that The Samurai will probably get the nod.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action.

The fight moves into the clinch position.

Merciano has clasped his hands together around Samurai's back... aaand, he's got a takedown into side control. Nicely done.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Merciano has knee on belly and moves into mount.
Samurai is squirming around, avoiding Merciano's attempts to control the action.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Merciano content just to control the position here.
Samurai wants to get back to his feet.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Merciano controlling the position easily from mount.
Samurai knows he needs to get back to his feet asap. He's simply no match for Merciano on the ground.

Jose Merciano has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Nice takedown defense from Samurai. No joy for Merciano on that attempt.
Merciano shoots in for a takedown. "Ole!" shouts Samurai as he jumps to the side.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merciano fails with a takedown attempt.
The Samurai has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jose Merciano.
Merciano will have to do better than that with his takedown attempts.
Samurai is looking to clinch but Merciano is avoiding it.
Samurai tries to close the distance and clinch up against the cage but Merciano paws at him with a jab and circles away.
Merciano with a lazy takedown attempt
and Samurai counters with a nice jab to the body that keeps Merciano thinking.
Merciano is breathing heavily.

Merciano bobs and weaves into range and then changes levels and scores with a nice takedown into side control.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Samurai wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!

Samurai bucks up and manages to escape back to his feet!
Samurai wants to clinch up but Merciano keeps it at a distance.

Samurai clinches with his opponent.
A frustrated look appears on Merciano's face as he tries to break the clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Samurai throws a knee to the head but misses.
Merciano takes an elbow to the temple.

Merciano pulls guard.
Merciano looking to hit a scissor sweep but Samurai is one step ahead there.
Samurai wanted to stand there but Merciano had control of the position.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.

Merciano has an omoplata and is looking to use it perhaps as a submission or perhaps to transition. Samurai is in a bit of discomfort here, but he's managed to free himself and has dived into side control! That didn't work out too well for Merciano.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jose Merciano showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Merciano fails with the takedown
and Samurai counters with a big head kick but Merciano shrugs it off.

Samurai pushes Merciano up against the cage in a clinch.
Samurai tries to land a knee to the head but misses.
Samurai pushes off and fires off an elbow that misses, before clinching up again, against the cage.
Merciano tries to circle away but Samurai has him pinned against the cage.
Samurai missing with knees to the body.

Merciano breaks the clinch and we're back to striking at distance.
Merciano shoots in for a takedown but Samurai shows good takedown defense.
A nice inside leg kick there by Merciano. That's going to slow Samurai down.
Merciano throws a combination but comes up with nothing but fresh air.

Samurai darts in and clinches Merciano up against the cage.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Samurai throws an elbow but it misses.

Merciano manages to pull guard.

Merciano is looking for a triangle here but Samurai uses the submission attempt to pass into side control.
Merciano tries to get back to half guard but can't.
Merciano takes a big intake of breath there - he's definitely tired.

Samurai decides to stand up, so the ref orders Merciano to his feet.
Jose Merciano seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Merciano shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
The Samurai has stuffed three takedown attempts in the round now. That's going to take a lot out of Jose Merciano.
Merciano shoots and misses
and Samurai counters with a crisp hook to the side of the head.

Samurai closes the distance and clinches.
Merciano tries to work over Samurai's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Samurai comes over the top with an elbow. That landed flush.
Samurai lands a nice elbow.
Merciano is trying to pull guard but Samurai turns him against the cage and we stay in the clinch.
Samurai lands a knee to the head.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Merciano takes a knee to the side of the body.
Samurai with a knee to the head.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Merciano looking to stall.
The Samurai has scored more points in the clinch so far.
Samurai lands a damaging elbow.
Kneeeeees! The crowd are calling for knees to the body. Samurai obliges.
Merciano wants a takedown.
Samurai lands an elbow inside that Merciano shrugs off.
Samurai lands a damaging elbow.
Samurai landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Samurai landing some nice looking knees to the body.
Samurai lands a knee to the head there! That was nasty!
Samurai lands an elbow inside that Merciano shrugs off.
Merciano takes an elbow to the forehead.
Samurai keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Merciano's efforts to push away.
Samurai lands a knee to the head.
Samurai throws a knee to the head but misses.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Samurai pushes off an throws an elbow but Merciano leans to the side and avoids it. We're back to clinching against the cage.
Samurai throws a vicious knee straight up the middle but Merciano blocks it with crossed arms.
The pace slowing considerably in the clinch, as Merciano takes a break from that fighting nonsense to think about the finer things in life.
Samurai misses with an elbow strike.
Samurai is looking to score with knees to the body. Maybe he'll change it up and go body then head. Merciano is defending well for now.
Merciano jumps guard but his hands slip and he falls flat on his back. Well, he's made himself look a right mug there, as Samurai walks away with a smile on his face. Merciano gets slowly back to his feet and shakes his head.
This has been an exciting period of action!
Merciano fails to land with a series of punches.
Merciano fails miserably with a takedown attempt.
As the round comes to an end the crowd are showing their appreciation for a great round of action.
Samurai fails with an attempt to clinch.

And that's the end of the fight!
The Samurai showed his dominance in that final round.
I think Samurai has won this one but let's see what the judges have to say. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Frank Antenori scores the fight for The Samurai!
Judge Timothy Bukovac scores the fight for The Samurai!
Judge Percy O'Donnell scores the fight for The Samurai!

The Samurai wins by unanimous decision!